The San Diego District Attorney’s Elder Abuse lead prosecutor spoke on a new task force dedicated to protecting over 1,000 seniors in the county from fraud.
The Elder Justice Task Force was created in collaboration with several municipal sectors to curb elder abuse. According to Attorney Scott Pirrello, the DA’s lead prosecutor in the Elder Abuse Unit, over 1,000 San Diego county seniors are fraud victims each year.
Deputy DA Pirrello and DA Investigator Felix Salazar developed the task force to solve complex elder scams by tracking down and holding accountable those responsible for stealing billions of dollars from elders. Through their efforts, the task force has learned that 99 percent of scammers are located overseas but require American money launderers.
The task force is led by the FBI in partnership with the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and several other law enforcement agencies. A system to uniformly report these crimes is underway to find trends within their jurisdictions.
According to a statement released by the DA’s office, San Diego senior citizens are scammed out of tens of millions of dollars every year, which happens through fictitious scenarios that often involve a loved one needing urgent help, or scammers posing as government agencies such as the IRS or Social Security Administration calling to demand money.
These crimes are difficult to locate because the crimes are committed in many jurisdictions, according to the DA’s office. With the establishment of the Elder Justice Task Force, the District Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners have begun systematically dismantling these scam syndicates using data-driven investigative techniques and sharing key information.
According to Pirrello, the task force learned scammers come from overseas, but require local co-conspirators because they need American money launderers.
“Elder abuse is one of the most underreported crimes, often because of the embarrassment and shame felt by victims,” DA Summer Stephan said in a statement. “Our goal is for the Elder Justice Task Force to become an example for the rest of the nation on how to stop the billion-dollar criminal industry of elder fraud.”
San Diego County handles approximately 9,000 cases of elder and dependent adult abuse each year. Many other incidents go unreported, leaving vulnerable adults in distressing, potentially life-changing, even dangerous, situations. The best thing people can do is to help file a report if they are scammed.
If a situation appears to be life-threatening or a crime is in progress, call 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement. If you believe elder or dependent abuse has occurred, call Adult Protective Services at 1-800-339-4661, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Mandated reporters, such as health and social service professionals, can report suspected elder or dependent adult abuse online at https://www.AISWebReferral.org.
More information regarding the warning signs, reporting, and tips to reduce the risk of becoming the next victim of financial fraud can be found on the DA’s webpage.
